black tie afternoon

         drizzle outside

  

in our cups

        we make an early start

at the town hall dance

 

         tea and wafers

no paso doble

         yet

there are rumours of wife swapping

         amongst the over eighties

 

the foxtrot

         the slow slow waltz

the band is cranking the music up

         we rise and fall

taking exaggerated care over our lines

 

at five o'clock

         the trumpet calls an end

the hall is needed by the Brownies

          three inch heels

are replaced by more sensible shoes

 

later

          over an ovaltine and scotch

a touch of silk

          still enthuses

chums

          who met on The Road to Manderlay